Valentine Mystery Noir

     17th Day of Awakening, Year 25:

     It’s a dark, rainy night in Lutari Island, the kind of night where I’m cold to the bone and there’s nothing that warms me. The dreary wind blows the downpour onto my trench coat, so that by the time I get home, there is nothing dry but the contents of my briefcase.

     It’s a good thing my briefcase is dry, because I hold the last will and testament of Lincoln Lupe, a poor fellow that went missing in a Jazz club in Uptown—Kenny Grarrl.

     I examine the documents carefully, and with a huff, decide I need to start scheduling some interviews with the other jazz club cohorts to figure out what happened that fateful night. I am also waiting for pieces of evidence to come back from forensics. I will be notified as each comes in.

     THE CASE SUMMARY

     Lincoln Lupe, long-time Neopian Times investigative journalist has been reported missing. He was last seen at the Kenny G’s, the Lutari Island Uptown Jazz Club where he’d been working on an exclusive story unearthing the nefarious underbelly of the historic club. If you have any information regarding these and other suspicious events, please report your findings to Captain Spudlie at the Neopian Police Department.

     The suspects are as follows:

     Georgie G Grarrl, club owner. He is the grandson of the late legendary jazz saxophone savant, Kenny Grarrl. He’s rich, smooth-talking, and arrogant.

     Motive: He didn’t like the Neopian Times article Lincoln did on the club.

     Raymond Ruki, an old buddy of Georgie G, art peddler. Thinks he is Fyora’s gift to the world and despite old money, dropped out of art school.

     Motive: Lincoln Lupe has been sniffing around some of his shady art dealings for a story and he doesn’t want to get caught.

     Harrison Hissi, Neocola drink maker and unofficial club therapist. Is really convincing as a shoulder to cry on, but keeps a detailed dossier for a rainy day with all the information he learns.

     Motive: With his job, he’s heard of all the activity and manoeuvring that Lincoln’s been doing to get his story and doesn’t like him encroaching on his territory.

     Clairice Cybunny, Club manager. She never miscounts, never forgets, never forgives, and never says, “it’s on the house.”

     Motive: Any hit to the business and the club bank account is a personal hit to Clairice.

     Persephone Peophin, jazz singer. Her sultry coyness is a state of living. She is the queen of swanky jazz clubs, but avoids any detailed questions about her life off stage.

     Motive: Has an on-again, off-again fling with Lincoln. They were off, and this time it seemed heated.

     Luna Lutari, aspiring writer, current musician. She thirsts for a writing career, but for now is patiently playing on the keys, quite averagely. Quiet and a bit mousey, no one actually knows the range of her writing talents.

     Motive: Lincoln has been tutoring her in writing. She seemed annoyed that her time kept getting interrupted by Persephone and Lincoln’s arguing.

     Quentin Quiggle, stressed day trader for Neopian Stock Market. He talks animatedly, to everyone. All the time.

     Motive: Lincoln directly quoted Quentin in the piece off the record, and he’s been taking heat for it.

     Duke Draik, Turdle racing owner and long-time friend of Clairice Cybunny. He is known for sly, clever business deals that favour him alone. He collects money and power, and commands the room upon entrance.

     Motive: Lincoln was gathering information about the Duke, and in his article alluded that he might not be as honest in his Turdle racing business as the public thought, overfeeding popular turtles before races.

     Lincoln Lupe, well-known author, truth teller, and investigative reporter. He is ambitious to a fault and can never resist a good story.

     THE EVIDENCE

     A few pieces of evidence have made their way into my hands: the Neopian Times article that was published right before Lincoln Lupe went missing, a coded message sent to Lincoln, and an interesting piece of physical evidence—Lincoln’s favourite writing quill—that was found between Luna’s piano music.

     Neopian Times Article: Trouble Abounds in Swanky Uptown Jazz Club

     It doesn’t take a clever pet to see there are all sorts of unsavoury characters that walk the streets, but what if I told you that in my research, reader, the characters are even worse in the affluent’s hang out - Kenny G’s, the heart of Lutari Island’s downtown hub.

     Now, I come to you, as a frequenter myself of the club, but I might need to find alternate dining establishment plans. Whether it’s the penny-pinching club manager that won’t even spare a Neopoint for the money tree, or the shady billionaire clientele and bosom buddies of inherited club owner Georgie G, the patrons are starting to look less than desirable for upstanding business endeavours.

     After a few months of deep delving into club members, I’d like to share a few interesting revelations I’ve encountered…

     As we all know, Turdle racing is a big sport around these parts, and I don’t know a single soul that hasn’t laid a few hundred Neopoints down on the Turdles at the legendary Duke’s Turdle Racing Farm. My secret sources tell me though, that oftentimes under private orders from the Duke himself, employees will actually overfeed the Turdle forerunners to keep them from winning the race. And if that wasn’t bad enough, at the races, another Georgie G buddy, Raymond Ruki has been linked to numerous Art Gallery and Beauty Contest fraudulent entries. The claims are largely unproven, but recently at the club I overheard Ruki mentioning that he was double entering for more prizes.

     I spent a lot of time just socializing at the legendary club, but I didn’t realize how the members actually felt. For instance, when chatting with Quentin Quiggle, market day trader, he quipped, “I sure wish my investments in KSON were as lucrative as the art deals that Raymond makes. This club sure is a fun place for rubbing shoulders with the right kind of people… if you know what I mean.” Winking suspiciously, Quentin went on talking to Harrison Hissi, who quietly listened to the woes of club members and jots them down for uses unknown later.

     I have more to divulge, especially about the grandson of Kenny Grarrl, Georgie G… Come back next week for the second part in my series on the woes of this famous jazz club.

      Coded Letter:

     R zn wlmv. Zugvi gszg urtsg zmw blf hkvmwrmt grnv drgs Ofmz rg rh xovzi blf wl mlg szev grnv uli nv. -K

      There is plenty of evidence to dive into, but with methodical investigative sleuthing, I know I’ll crack this case wide open.

     With Valentine's Day coming up, it has me wondering if a crime of passion has been committed, if it was a case of wrong place, wrong time, or possibly even a much-needed vacation to promote his somewhat bland Neopian Times career even more? Nothing is off the table, as Lincoln was a bright, if somewhat disorganized and trusting fellow. I’m not leaning any way or the other until I crack these codes and have more information.

     18th Day of Awakening, Year 25- morning:

     After a bit of puzzling today, I’ve finally cracked the code. It was a simple backward A=Z, Y=B coded message and after a short alphabetical chart, I have divulged the hidden message.

      Solution: I am done. After that fight and spending time with Luna it is clear you do not have time for me. -P

      P is most likely, Persephone Peophine of course, with Luna being her bandmate, Luna Lutari. There were… tensions when I interviewed the two, most likely a spat between the two ladies in the band and the snooping reporter. Though, the fight that “P” mentions in the note that there was an actual fight, is news to me. Strengthening my case toward a Valentine’s triangle, while also thrusting the seemingly timid Luna into my spotlight. What were they fighting about? What did it have to do with Lincoln? What secrets do the swanky jazz club have to show me? I think it’s time to gather some additional evidence myself.

     18th Day of Awakening, Year 25- afternoon:

     Magnifying glass, clever detective hat, and trenchcoat in tow in true high crime fashion, I drove down to the “place where everything happens,” the uptown Jazz club where legends such as Jazzmosis record some of their albums. The Tyrannian Concert Hall has a lot of hype, but for non-open area arenas, this takes the cake. The mood, the dispositions of the guests, what secrets could be hidden in the dark corners of the club?

     Since the disappearance, the Neopian PD have closed the club to all employees and visitors to gather evidence. Since it is Kenny Grarrl’s livelihood, I need to give the all-clear to open it back up for business, but I wanted to lay on the last pair of eyes on the scene before I do so.

     Detective bag at the ready, I started looking with new eyes and trying to recreate what it might feel like to be in Lincoln’s shoes the night he was last seen here. The sounds, the smells, and the conversations he had. I asked for the lighting to be adjusted to what it is at night when Lincoln was last seen, and I walked into a rich-looking deep maroon room with expensive-looking candles, snazzy gold trim and an air of eliteness only rich hangouts can define. I noticed a side table with perfect lighting for writing and started my hunt for more clues. Just as I sat down at the table, something unseen ripped as the trenchcoat rubbed against the side of the table….

     As I carefully put gloves on so as to not disturb the original contents of the document, I heard a crash behind me, making me whirl around in a start. Carefully I stashed the evidence, safely protected in an inner pocket, when a pair of snake-like glowing yellow eyes gleamed into view behind the bar….

To be continued…